WESTLAND SPORTS 1 Chickerell UNITED 1 CHICKERELL United manager Brendon King remained positive despite seeing his side held to a 1-1 draw at Westland Sports last night.

The title-chasing Chickens missed a first-half penalty before Nick Etherington put them ahead just two minutes into the second period at Alvington Lane.

The visitors were then twice denied by the woodwork while Etherington also saw an effort cleared off the line.

And Sports left a bitter taste in the mouth by equalising from a corner to leave Chickerell four points adrift of leaders Hamworthy Rec, who hit eight without reply against lowly Cranborne.

After watching his men miss out on a crucial victory in the race for Dorset Premier League glory, King said: “If you had offered me a point beforehand I probably would have taken it. But we created more chances, we missed a penalty, hit the woodwork twice and had one cleared off the line so I’m a bit disappointed.

“However, it’s a lot to ask of the boys with the amount of games we’re playing at the moment and it’s not the end of the world – we’ll bounce back.”

The Chickens were handed the perfect chance to open the scoring when Warren White was brought down in the Westland box.

Up stepped Ross Doidge but the midfielder saw his spot-kick come back off a post.

Chickerell did open the scoring early in the second half when White’s shot was parried by the home keeper and tapped in by the onrushing Etherington.

The United striker thought he had made it 2-0 after lobbing the Westland gloveman, but his attempt also clipped an upright.

White was the next man to be thwarted by the frame of the goal when his header struck the crossbar.

Etherington was again denied, this time by an alert defender, before Sports delivered the sucker punch to secure a share of the spoils.

Next on the agenda for Chickerell, who still hold two games in hand over rivals Rec, is a home meeting with Weymouth Reserves tomorrow evening (6.30pm).

Chickens: Weeks, Oliver, Burton, Welch, Reader, Marshallsay, Litherland, Hall, Doidge (Roper 65), White, Etherington. Subs not used: Anstey, Hanger, Beades.